A Fresh Take on Mac Window Management: Why Swish Deserves Your Attention

If you’ve ever fallen head over heels for a window management tool on macOS (looking at you, Rectangle and Spectacle), you know how difficult it can be to imagine switching to something else.

I started out using Spectacle, which sadly got deprecated, and quickly migrated to Rectangle. After that, I had no desire to explore other options—Rectangle was simply good enough. But recently, I stumbled upon Swish, and all of that “I’m fine with what I have” has gone straight out the window. Quite literally.

The Journey from Spectacle to Rectangle—and Now to Swish

When Spectacle was deprecated, I remember groaning in frustration at the idea of learning a new tool. But once I dove into Rectangle, I never looked back. It seems I’m in a similar place again, only this time with Swish. It’s a breath of fresh air and, I have to admit, a surprisingly fun approach to window management.

What Makes Swish So Compelling?

1. Swift Muscle Memory Building

Even as a new user, I can feel my fingers and trackpad gestures slowly but surely finding that sweet spot. There’s something about Swish’s intuitive gesture-based system that makes rearranging and resizing windows feel second nature before long.

2. Incredibly Natural Interface

Let’s face it: wrangling multiple windows on a Mac can sometimes be clunky, especially when you’re juggling multiple apps. Swish feels much more “Mac-like” in its design language, adding a sense of fluidity that’s—dare I say—more ‘Windowsy than Windows’ in terms of user-friendliness. (I’ve always maintained that macOS can feel more polished and cohesive than other operating systems.)

3. Surprisingly Fun

Call me a nerd, but I find it genuinely fun flicking and swooshing windows around my screen. Swish transforms mundane window management tasks into a game of sorts. It’s a refreshing break from the drag-and-click routine.

4. Available on Setapp

If you’re already using Setapp, you can find Swish right there. Having one subscription to rule them all is a huge advantage, especially for those of us who like discovering and testing new Mac apps.

Potential Drawbacks

1. Power-User Status is Still on the Horizon

Swish does everything I need it to do, but I’m still a bit away from unlocking every hotkey, gesture, and advanced setting. It’ll take time—and practice—before I become a full-fledged Swish power-user.

2. Occasional Mistakes

I’m still catching myself messing up gestures or forgetting specific shortcuts. Like any new system, you’ll face a learning curve. Don’t be surprised if you close a window you meant to resize or throw an app off-screen accidentally.

Final Thoughts

If you’d asked me a month ago if I would fundamentally change the way I interact with my Mac, I would have shrugged and said “Tiling with Rectangle is enough for me.” But after giving Swish a try, I can wholeheartedly say: Don’t rest on your current setup—Swish is absolutely worth a spin. And if you’re a fan of external trackpads, you’re in for a treat; it feels exquisite to use on the Apple Magic Trackpad.

So, go ahead—give Swish a whirl. It might just become your new favorite way to wrangle windows on macOS. And hey, if you miss the old approach, Rectangle isn’t going anywhere. But once you feel Swish’s gesture-based magic, you might not want to go back.